Patching up a stock trailer.

[tom4018]

I am sure I am not the first to get some rust on the nose of a stock trailer at the bottom. Thinking about treating it with some rust converter after getting rid of the really bad areas. Thought about aluminum tread plate about 12" around the bottom. How thick should I use? Never tried bending any before.

Open to any other suggestions?

 

[Dlh]

Adding aluminum to a steel trailer is going to cause you nothing but problems. (Galvanic corrosion)
If you hit it with rust converter, it becomes a paintable surface. Throw some bead liner or rock guard on it.

 

[tom4018]

Adding aluminum to a steel trailer is going to cause you nothing but problems. (Galvanic corrosion)
If you hit it with rust converter, it becomes a paintable surface. Throw some bead liner or rock guard on it.

What gauge steel would be bendable around the nose of the trailer? Would need to paint the backside of it before bolting it on to prevent it from rusting on the backside. Or do you have another suggestion?

 

[Dlh]

a 5052 aluminum would shape nice for you with out surface cracking. Wouldn't go thicker than 8 gauge.
Between the surfaces, as long as you have some form of Barrier, plastic or paint you should be good to go.same guage if you want to go steel would shape nice

 

[bird dog]

I bought a round front trailer once that was caved in right behind the tongue and the aluminum overlay piece was bent all to hell. After removing the aluminum piece I could see where a lot of rust was forming.

I beat out the large dent, sanded the rust down, primered and repainted with a roller a thick coat of rustoleum over the whole front. I then covered the rusty area and most of the dent with a piece of 16 gauge galvanized metal. I riveted it to the existing metal. It was still holding up when I sold it 15 years later.

I don't think I would try anything thicker than 16 gauge.

 

[Redgully]

I would go with galvanised steel but make sure it is proper galvanised and not electroplated. Aluminium is good but you need to paint with a good etch primer first or paint will just flake off.

 

[hurleyjd]

I would go with galvanised steel but make sure it is proper galvanised and not electroplated. Aluminium is good but you need to paint with a good etch primer first or paint will just flake off.

Also might look at stainless steel about .063 thick. It can be welded to carbon steel.